The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-06-22
FIVE FATAL SHOTS.
A Farmer Kills Four People,
and Then Shoots Himself.
A Fight For a Dakota Claim Ends
in a Terrible Tragedy.

A frightful series of murders have just oc-
CURED in Beadle County, Dakota. Simon S.
Nelson came to the county in July, 1879, and
took up land south of Cavour and
lived there three years. He was
regarded as a law abiding citizen,
although Of strong passions. He was of aver
age intelligence and hard worker. He was
one of the first Commissioners of Beadle
county, and served three years.
Five years ago, when it was announced
that what are known to be the Cameron
Claims" were thrown open to settlement,
Nelson took up one Of these claims. Mrs
Flora E. Shaw, q widow, with her sister,
Miss Alice E. Lyman, from Geauga County,
Ohio, came to Huron, Beadle County, in April,
1882, and Immediately filed on the quarter
kind of filing on, but it was reported that
Nelson had land covered up under
fictitious names, and they, seeing that
he did not live on the claim, built
their house and moved into it. With Mrs.
Shaw was her son CorHin, twenty-one years
old. One or two years after this Nelson
moved on to the land. The son Ccrwin lived
in fear of him and did nothing to offend him.
When the case came up for trial the Huron
land officers decided in favor of Nelson. 1t
was then carried up to the Commissioner
and finally to the Secretary of the In
terror, both of whom gave the land to
Mrs. Shaw. 1t was supposed that the case
was ended. As Nelson did not leave the
premises the District Court was appealed to
and issued an order for him to vacate
This was disobeyed. The attorney for
Mr'. Shaw got an order from Judge
Spencer last week for Nelson to show
cause why he should not be punished for con-
tempt of court. When young Shaw
attempted to work on the land, Nelson took
q Winchester rifle and threatened to shoot
him If he did not leave, which he did.
The other morning E. G. Lyman, a brother
of Mrs. Shaw, and Miss Lyman, Corwin
Shaw, the two ladies, and j. A. Kelsey, a
neighbor, went to the field to work Lyman
maned at the edge of the field. Kelsey had
been threatened with death by Nelson. When
Colwin had ploughed across the field with
Lyman just behind him, and had turned to
make another flrrow. Nelson came out
with a Winchester rife and shot at Lyman,
who dashed behind his horses and was not
hit Lyman called to all:
Run for your lives"
Corwin ran, but fell dead, shot through the
heart, the ball entering hisback.
Nelson fired at Kelsey, who also fell, shot
through the right lung and one kidney, and
Nelson supposed him dead.
By this time the murderer had got up to
the two women, who stopped and faced him.
Lyman says that Nelson then came up to
the women, talked to them, reloaded
his gun and then deliberately shot each
of them to death. When Miss Lyman was
shot she was seen by her brother to be
ikneeling before Nelson pleading for her life,
but he knew no mercy He put the muzzle
- f6a RI
pulled the trigger. Tie ball entered her left
temple He then pulled out his knife and
stabbed her in the light breast. Nelson vent
thome and said to his wife:
"Theres three less of them"
Then he went outside and shot himself
through the head, dying instantly. Kelsey
died in the evening.